Orlando City
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Final Score 2-1 as Sloppy Lions Get Swept
It wasn’t the sharpest night for the Lions, who just couldn’t find the final bit of quality in losing their second game to the Red Bulls in 2021.
Orlando City will be happy to have seen the last of the New York Red Bulls this regular season. The Lions (6-2-3, 21 points) were sloppy and wasteful in a 2-1 loss to New York (5-5-1, 16 points) at Exploria Stadium, getting swept in the two-game season series by identical scorelines.
The Lions could have climbed to the top of the Eastern Conference with a win after New England dropped points, but the team conceded a late goal and missed a first-half Mauricio Pereyra penalty. Chris Mueller’s second-half goal tied the match after an early Cristian Casseres Jr. goal put the visitors on top, but Fabio Gomes Netto’s winner late sent the wet crowd of 19,009 home unhappy.
“Obviously sad with the result but with our heads very high with the effort of the players,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But we accept it. I think we need to move forward. It’s a quick turnaround with a game in the middle of the week.”
It was New York’s first road win of the season.
Pareja started Brandon Austin in goal behind a back line of Kyle Smith, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Michael Halliday. Junior Urso and Andres Perea started in central midfield with Pereyra and Mueller feeding the attack to Nani and Daryl Dike up top.
The Red Bulls took advantage of an early mistake by Orlando by doing what they do — scoring a transition goal off a defensive end turnover. The ball cycled to Casseres Jr. on the right and the defense overplayed him to the outside, so he cut back inside and curled a ball into the far side of the net to make it 1-0 in the sixth minute.
Carlos went down in the 10th minute while Pereyra was winning a free kick near the left corner of the box. He signaled for a substitute but Rodrigo Schlegel wasn’t ready yet so he stayed on for the set piece. Carlos scored on the set piece but was called for a foul. He went down after the call and was subbed off officially in the 14th minute.
The Lions started getting more of the ball and creating some opportunities but couldn’t quite cash in. Mueller smashed a shot in the 16th minute that was heading in but Carlos Coronel made a good diving save to keep Orlando scoreless. Two minutes later, Halliday fired just wide off a corner kick. Pereyra fired on target in the 26th minute but it was no trouble for Coronel. Seconds later, Mueller fired a shot just over the bar.
The best chance to tie the match in the first half came late in the half when Pereyra drew a foul in the box for an Orlando penalty. The Uruguayan took the penalty himself but Coronel guessed correctly to his left and Pereyra’s shot was at an easy height for the goalkeeper to make the stop.
The Lions got one more good look in stoppage time, with Dike heading over the bar on a good cross into the area. Despite getting some good looks, the Lions went to the break trailing.
The Red Bulls out-shot Orlando 7-6 in the first half, although the Lions had more on goal (3-2). Orlando held more possession (58.6%-41.4%), had more corners (3-1) and passed more accurately, but the passing wasn’t terribly accurate despite the Lions’ 78.2%-73.3% advantage, especially in the final third.
Orlando’s second half didn’t start much better than the first, as the Red Bulls had a lot of possession in the attacking third and the Lions struggled to accurately play the ball out of their own half. A giveaway by Perea in the 50th minute could have been fatal but the shot went over the bar.
The first good look of the second half for Orlando came in the 53rd minute when Urso slipped Dike in behind the defense. Dike tried to slip it under Coronel, who came off his line and made the save and it just didn’t look like the Lions’ night at that point.
It was a New York mistake that let Orlando back in the game. Defender Sean Nealis decided to try to dribble the ball past Dike, but the Orlando forward had no trouble dispossessing him and poking the ball to an onrushing Pereyra. The Uruguayan found Mueller on his left and Cash sent a perfect shot under the bar to tie the game at 1-1 in the 59th minute.
After the Orlando goal the game settled into a bit of a stalemate for about the next 10 minutes. New York looked the likelier side to score the second goal as the Lions continued to make silly mistakes in possession, forcing passes and trying to split double (and sometimes triple) teams against the Red Bulls’ press.
Patryk Klimala fired just inches wide in transition in the 72nd minute.
Orlando’s best chance to take the lead came in the 79th minute when Nani got the ball on the left and fired a shot on target. The captain’s chance was too close to Coronel, who made the save and then started the play the other way for the winning goal.
The Lions’ two center backs closed together to stop Klimala, but in doing so, Schlegel left Fabio to Halliday while helping Jansson, who appeared to be in good position. Klimala was was able to get a pass through to Fabio, who held off Halliday and beat Austin to make it 2-1.
“I think it was a counter for them, it was a quick transition,” Schlegel said. “And as they were bringing the ball up, they sort of came into the middle and (were) trying to play into the middle, so I stepped up to try and cover, and they were able to get it behind me and, frankly, their number nine just finished really well.”
“On the last goal I would say that it’s a lack of coordination when we have to step and cover,” Pareja said. “They don’t go around much, but through the middle they put a lot of numbers, so as you have to be concentrated on those small passes and short diagonals. And that’s why they found that goal. They made a good movement there where we were off, and in no time they scored that second goal.”
Orlando wasn’t threatening much in the final 10 minutes due to careless passes and poor decision-making. Dike ignored a run by substitute Silvester van der Water on one attack opportunity and Nani ignored an outlet pass to Benji Michel in his own half in stoppage time and lost the ball when three Red Bulls converged on him. Uri Rosell got a last gasp shot attempt off deep in stoppage time but missed the net.
New York out-shot Orlando 18-13, but the Lions got more on target (6-4). Corners were even at four apiece, with Orlando holding an advantage in possession (55.2%-44.8%) and the Red Bulls edging the Lions in passing accuracy (75.4%-76.1%).
“Obviously disappointed,” Austin said after the loss. “We wanted to keep that winning streak going. Tough game. I think there were chances where we definitely had opportunities to get more out of the game. Credit to New York, they came up with a game plan and they executed it quite well.”
The Lions will try to bounce back Wednesday night on the road at the Chicago Fire.
Opinion
Orlando City Needs a Strong Start from its Defense
The defense will need to come together quickly in 2025 for Orlando City to avoid another slow start to the season.
The opening day of the 2025 Major League Soccer season is less than 30 days, and Orlando City is preparing for the opener against Philadelphia. With a full slate of preseason matches that recently dropped, the 2025 Lions will soon take to the field to put the final touches on preparing various tactics for the season ahead. That starts today with a friendly against Atletico Mineiro.
While there are numerous questions regarding the offensive side of the pitch for Orlando City, the defense should be an area of strength for OCSC as the season begins, and it may need to be, as any new attacking pieces brought in this late in the off-season will need time to settle in.
Starting with the dynamic duo of Cesar Araujo and Wilder Cartagena, Orlando once again will have the good fortune of fielding one of the best defensive midfield pairings in all of MLS. While both Araujo and Cartagena are technically sound and strong defenders on their own, there is a noticeable difference in overall team defense when they both play together. Araujo, who has recently been the target of transfer speculation, is now expected to be locked into Orlando City purple for the upcoming season. He and Cartagena have demonstrated a great ability to take opposing star players out of the game plan, and there is little question regarding their importance when it comes to the successful start of the season.
Moving back toward the goal, Orlando City also returns a complete back line consisting of captain Robin Jansson, Rafael Santos, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson, and either David Brekalo or Rodrigo Schlegel. The tactics employed by Head Coach Oscar Pareja call for the fullbacks to get into the offensive flow as often as the game allows, and both Thorhallsson and Santos have shown that they are capable of attacking. While that part of their game is a bonus, their ability to get back and defend — especially against the counter — will be an early skill to watch as the season begins.
At this point in his career, there will be very few surprises from Jansson, as fans and the coaching staff know exactly what type of effort to expect out of the center back. The only piece of the back line puzzle that will be interesting to watch throughout the early part of the season will be who earns the right to slot in next to Jansson. Due to injury and international duty a season ago, Schlegel wound up winning the starting role from the newly acquired Brekalo. My gut instinct tells me that with an off-season of preparation, we will likely see the younger and more athletic Brekalo get the nod to start the year, with Schlegel the primary backup for both starting center back positions.
Finally, the man who anchors it all, goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, will have the benefit of familiarity when it comes to the defenders in front of him. Gallese ended the 2024 season on a hot streak, in great form, showing his quality in the second half of the season and the playoffs, stopping multiple penalty kicks. He tied for fifth place among all goalkeepers with eight clean sheets in 2024 and will undoubtedly look to add to his career club record as the 2025 season begins.
With all of the defensive starters from the 2024 season back for 2025, Orlando City’s defense is expected to be the cornerstone of early season matches while the offense sorts itself out. The success then, especially during those first few matches, will likely live or die on the shoulders of the back seven defensive players.
Do you expect any cracks in the Orlando City defense to start the year or are you feeling confident in their ability to handle the new attacking pieces that have been added to the Eastern Conference? Let us know in the comments below and as always, vamos Orlando!
Orlando City
Orlando City Releases Full 2025 Preseason Schedule
The Lions will face three MLS sides, a Brazilian Serie A club, a USL Championship team, and a Canadian Premier League side this preseason.
On the eve of Orlando City’s first preseason friendly of the team’s 2025 camp — and 11 days into training — the club has released its full schedule for the remainder of the preseason. The Lions will play six matches, calling two of them “friendlies” and the other four “scrimmages,” but they all amount to competitive minutes for the squad ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season.
Two of the games are open to the general public, including Saturday’s FC Series friendly against Atletico Mineiro and the Feb. 14 preseason finale against Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. In addition, season ticket members can access a preseason scrimmage against CF Montreal on Feb. 8. Club staff will reach out to season ticket members with the details for that game. The other three scrimmages will be closed door.
The preseason schedule is similar this year to what the club has had for the last several years under Oscar Pareja, with mostly closed scrimmages and a mixture of MLS and other assorted competition.
After facing the Brazil Serie A side on Saturday, the Lions will head to Mexico for a week of training and team bonding, with one scrimmage against Forge FC from the Canadian Premier League. Orlando City will play three MLS clubs in the preseason, along with one team each from the Canadian Premier League and the USL Championship.
Orlando City will kick off its 2025 regular season at home against the Philadelphia Union at Inter&Co Stadium on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 7:30 p.m.
2025 Orlando City Preseason Schedule
- Saturday, Jan. 25 — Preseason friendly vs. Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium
- Sunday, Jan. 26 — Preseason camp opens in Mexico
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Forge FC (Closed Door)
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Atlanta United (Closed Door)
- Saturday, Feb. 8 — Preseason scrimmage vs. CF Montreal (Season Ticket Members Exclusive Match)
- Tuesday, Feb. 11 — Preseason scrimmage vs. Rhode Island FC (Closed Door)
- Friday, Feb. 14 — Preseason friendly vs. Inter Miami at Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/24/25
Cesar Araujo will reportedly stay in Orlando, USMNT takeaways, MLS transfer news, and much more.
Happy Friday! It should be a pretty decent weekend with plenty of soccer to enjoy both in Orlando and abroad. Orlando City’s first preseason game is Saturday against Atletico Mineiro at Inter&Co Stadium. While I won’t be in attendance, I’m looking forward to learning how they do. But for now, let’s jump into today’s links!
Cesar Araujo Will Reportedly Stay in Orlando
There have been rumors and reports swirling around regarding midfielder Cesar Araujo leaving Orlando City this off-season. However, the 23-year-old will reportedly stay in Orlando for the 2025 season according to Tom Bogert. Uruguayan club Nacional has reportedly been trying to sign Araujo while he has a year left on his contract.
It makes all the sense in the world for Orlando to want to keep Araujo in the center of its midfield for 2025. He’s been incredible since joining Orlando back in 2022 and has been integral to the club’s success in recent years. Clubs were always going to come knocking for Araujo’s talents, but I expect it would take a hefty offer for the Lions to let him go before his contract is up.
Takeaways From USMNT January Camp
While the United States Men’s National Team’s January camp usually isn’t too impactful, this year’s edition had some extra intrigue due to some standout performances across the two friendly wins. Zack Steffen had a statement game against Costa Rica, making a few sensational saves to secure a clean sheet. He needed a game like that to stay in the mix for the starting job after a rough season with the Colorado Rapids. Striker Patrick Agyemang played his first two USMNT games this month and scored in both, making the most of his opportunity. Diego Luna taking an elbow to the face and coming back out to assist on the team’s first goal against Costa Rica is also the kind of moment that could earn him more looks in the future.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
MLS teams other than Orlando City continue to make moves ahead of the 2025 season. The exodus from FC Dallas rolls on, as Alan Velasco was officially transferred to Boca Juniors in Argentina for a reported $12 million transfer fee. Dallas also traded center back Nkosi Tafari to LAFC in exchange for $300,000 in 2026 General Allocation Money and an international roster slot.
The Karol Swiderski era in Charlotte is over, as the club transferred him to Panathinaikos for a reported transfer fee of $2 million. Real Salt Lake added a young striker, signing 20-year-old Ariath Piol from MacArthur FC in Australia. Nashville SC signed American goalkeeper Brian Schwake from CD Castellon in Spain’s second division to provide more depth behind Joe Willis. Austin FC’s busy off-season continued by signing Zan Kolmanic to a new contract through 2026. The club is also reportedly closer to signing forward Myrto Uzuni for a club-record fee.
Europa League First Phase Nears Conclusion
Lazio is the only team to guarantee a spot in the Europa League’s round of 16 so far, doing so after a 3-1 win over Real Sociedad. English clubs Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur edged closer to securing a spot. A late winner from Bruno Fernandes gave United a 2-1 victory against Rangers, while Tottenham beat Hoffenheim 3-2 thanks to a brace from Heung-Min Son. The upset of the round belonged to Latvian club FK RFS, which took down Ajax in a 1-0 win at home. Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Midtjylland also picked up wins this week. This phase of the tournament will wrap up with 18 games on Thursday.
Free Kicks
- Bay FC bought out Deyna Castellanos’ contract, with the midfielder joining the Portland Thorns as a free agent soon after.
- After a vote approving funds to repair Al Lang Stadium, the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced that they will play there for their upcoming USL Championship season.
- Manchester City defender Kyle Walker will reportedly join AC Milan on loan for the remainder of the season, with an option for the Italian club to buy him after the loan.
- Barcelona extended defender Ronald Araujo’s contract to keep him at the club through 2031.
- Tottenham striker Dominic Solanke will be out for around six weeks due to a knee injury according to Ange Postecoglou.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
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